Combustion systems in gas turbine engines typically ignite and combust an air and fuel mixture to drive a turbine. The combustion system can include a fuel manifold that supplies a stream of fuel to a rotary fuel slinger that atomizes the fuel. The atomized fuel is then mixed with air in the combustion chamber and ignited by an igniter. The efficiency of atomization impacts the efficiency of the combustion system and the engine overall. Typically, the stream of fuel can impact the rotary fuel slinger and splatter. The splattered fuel results in a loss of control of the fuel and additionally results in a portion of the fuel not being atomized. These conditions can adversely impact the effectiveness of the gas turbine engine, and additionally result in fuel contamination in the areas surrounding the fuel manifold.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide improved combustion systems. In addition, it is desirable to provide rotary fuel slingers for combustion systems that reduce splattering of the fuel stream impacting the rotary fuel slinger. It is also desirable to provide improved methods of atomizing a flow of fuel from a fuel manifold by a rotary fuel slinger. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.